Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know before you order. If your question isn't here, email hello@magnetosf.com and a real person will answer.

Photos & ordering

What sizes do you make?

Two, both square. The small one is 50 × 50 mm (2" × 2") for $5, and the large one is 80 × 80 mm (3.15" × 3.15") for $6.

What kind of photo works best?

Almost any photo from a phone taken in the last decade will look great. If you want the technical answer: aim for at least 1000 pixels on the short side for a 50 mm magnet, and at least 1600 pixels for an 80 mm magnet. A standard phone photo is around 3000 pixels, so you have plenty of room.

What matters more than resolution is light. A photo taken outdoors or near a window will always beat one taken in a dim room, no matter how many megapixels it has.

What if my photo isn't good enough?

We check every photo before we print it, and if yours looks too small, too blurry or too dark to print well we'll email you before we make anything and ask for a different one. We can't promise to catch every problem, but you shouldn't find out there was one when the package arrives.

Will you crop my photo?

We do it for you. Both sizes are square, so a rectangular photo has to lose something — you upload the photo as it is, and we crop it to a neat square during production, centered. Keep what matters near the middle and it'll come out the way you expect. If it's a close call — someone's head near the edge, a wide group shot — tell us in the order notes or just email us, and we'll look at it with you before we print.

Can I order just one?

Yes. That's the whole point. There's no minimum here. Order one magnet, or twelve with twelve different photos.

Can I use a different photo for each magnet?

Yes. Add each magnet to your cart separately and upload its own photo. Twelve magnets in one order can be twelve different pictures — there's nothing to opt into and no extra charge for it.

Can I put text on it?

Not yet — email us and we'll see what we can do.

What file types can I upload?

JPG and PNG. If you have something else — a HEIC from an iPhone, a PDF, a scan — email it to hello@magnetosf.com and we'll sort it out.

Can I send a photo that isn't mine?

Only if you have the right to use it. Professional portraits, wedding photographer work and licensed images usually belong to the photographer or the studio, not to the person in the picture — so don't upload those unless you own them or have permission. You're responsible for having the right to use whatever you send us. We don't check who owns a photo and we can't, but we will refuse or cancel any order if we think the content isn't something we should be printing, and you'd get a full refund.

Production & shipping

How long does it take?

We make each magnet after you order it, by hand. Production takes 1–3 business days, and standard shipping takes another 3–5 business days on top of that. So most orders arrive 4–8 business days after you order.

Express shipping brings transit down to 1–2 business days, but production still takes its 1–3 days — express speeds up the trip, not the making. That puts most express orders at 2–5 business days after you order.

If you need it by a specific date, email us before you order and we'll tell you honestly whether it's possible.

How do you ship, and what does it cost?

Standard shipping is $8 flat anywhere in the US, and it's free on orders over $70. Express is $15. Both include tracking.

Do you ship outside the US?

Not yet — we ship within the United States only. If you're outside the US and really want one, email us and we'll tell you honestly whether we can make it work.

Will I get tracking?

Yes. You'll get a tracking number by email as soon as your order ships.

Your photo & your privacy

Do you keep my photo?

We keep it for 90 days after your order is delivered, in case there's a problem with the print and we need to redo it, or a dispute comes up. After that it's deleted from our active systems. Encrypted backups may hold a copy for up to another 90 days before they're overwritten. We don't use customer photos in our marketing, on social media, or anywhere else without asking you first.

Can you delete my photo sooner?

Yes. Email hello@magnetosf.com with your order number and ask us to delete it. If your order has already shipped, we'll remove it from our active systems within 30 days and email you to confirm. If it's still in production, deleting the photo means cancelling the order — we'll check with you first, and refund you.

The full detail, including the narrow legal exceptions, is in our Privacy Policy.

Does a real person see my photo?

Yes — one person, me. I check every image before it goes to the printer. That's how we catch problems before they become your problem. If that matters to you, it's worth knowing it's not an automated pipeline.

If something goes wrong

What's your return policy?

Because every magnet is made with your photo, custom orders are final sale. But if we got something wrong — a printing defect, damage in transit, the wrong size, a crop we got wrong — email us a photo of the problem within 30 days and we'll reprint it free or refund you. No return shipping needed.

What we can't refund is a photo that was too low-resolution, blurry or dark to print well to begin with. That's why we check every photo before we print, and email you if it doesn't look right.

I made a mistake on my order. Can I change it?

Email hello@magnetosf.com as fast as you can. If we haven't printed it yet, we'll fix it. Once it's printed we can't undo it, but tell us anyway and we'll figure something out.

My order never arrived.

Email us with your order number. If tracking says delivered and it isn't there, give it 48 hours — packages sometimes get scanned early — then let us know and we'll reprint it.

Safety & care

Are these safe around kids?

Keep them away from children under 3, and please don't treat them as a toy.

Our magnets are bigger than the size that's usually a swallowing risk, but that isn't a guarantee and we won't pretend it is. A magnet can chip, crack, or come away from its backing, and the pieces that break off are small. Look them over now and then, and throw away any magnet that's cracked or separating instead of putting it back on the fridge. Keep broken pieces away from young children and pets.

If a child ever swallows a magnet — ours or anyone else's — treat it as a medical emergency. Go to the emergency room, and tell them specifically that a magnet may have been swallowed. Swallowed magnets can cause serious internal injury, and the treatment depends on the doctors knowing a magnet is involved. Symptoms can look like an ordinary stomach upset, so don't wait to see whether it passes.

This is the short version of the warning in our Terms of Service, section 2.1.

Will it damage anything?

Keep magnets away from credit cards, hotel key cards, hard drives, and pacemakers or other implanted medical devices. This is standard for any magnet, not specific to ours.

How do I clean it?

Wipe with a dry or slightly damp cloth. Don't soak it, don't use solvents, and don't put it in the dishwasher.

Will it fade?

Not on a fridge indoors. Direct sunlight for months will fade any printed image, so if you're putting it somewhere sunny, expect it to shift over time.

Payment & tax

What payment methods do you take?

We use Shopify Payments, so we take all major credit and debit cards, plus Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Shop Pay.

Do you charge sales tax?

Orders shipped to California addresses include California sales tax, as required by state law. Orders shipped elsewhere follow that state's rules. Either way, tax is calculated at checkout, so you'll see the exact amount before you pay.

Can I get a receipt or invoice for business expenses?

Yes. Your order confirmation works as a receipt. If you need one with a business name or additional details on it, email us.

About us

Who makes these?

MagnetoSF is a one-person shop in South San Francisco, run as MAGNETOSFCOM LLC. Every magnet is designed, printed, checked, and packed by hand. When you email us, you're emailing the person who made your magnet.

Do you do bulk or wholesale orders?

Yes — email hello@magnetosf.com and let's talk.

Still stuck? Email hello@magnetosf.com. We answer every message.